Studies in the News is a very current compilation of items significant to the Legislature and Governor's Office. It is created weekly by the State Library's Research Bureau to supplement the public policy debate in California’s Capitol. To help share the latest information with state policymakers, these reading lists are now being made accessible through the State Library’s website. This week's list of current articles in various public policy areas is presented below.

Service to State Employees:

When available, the URL for the full text of each item is provided.

Items in the State Library collection can be checked out to state officials and staff.

Access to all materials listed will be provided by the State Information Reference Center, either by e-mail to cslsirc@library.ca.gov or by calling 654-0261.

["Regional unemployment rates in California vary widely, ranging from a low of 5.2 percent in the Southern Border Region to a high of 12.3 percent in the San Joaquin Valley in July 2003..... As of July 2003, there were 1.2 million unemployed Californians. One-third had been unemployed for less than five weeks, and six out of ten for less than 15 weeks. However, nearly one quarter had been unemployed for 27 weeks or more. More than half of unemployed persons are unemployed due to the loss of a job and one-quarter are re-entering the labor force after a period of absence."]

["This brief examines the most recent data on the educational attainment, employment status, earnings, union affiliation, and other facets of the Hispanic workforce. While it is widely recognized that Latinos have a strong work ethic, the report sheds light on the major challenges faced by Hispanic workers, including: Latino workers are more likely than their Black or White counterparts to be poor, earn low incomes, and be 'contingent' workers holding temporary jobs; Latinos who pursue higher education still earn less than other workers with similar educational backgrounds; and, the Hispanic unemployment rate (at 8.2% in August) remains significantly higher than that of White workers and the national average."]

["People with persistent and severe mental illness have a harder time securing and keeping a job, although studies have found that most would prefer to work if afforded the opportunity and certain incentives to do so.... By providing treatment, supports, and employment services, many persons with mental illness can sustain employment, become more self-sufficient, contribute to society, and reduce funding in supportive services for states."]

["The moment Americans walk through the doors of their workplace, they enter into a world that strips away all their basic rights.... With each decade bringing new frustrations piled upon past economic burdens -- pensions declining or being taken away; slow growth in income; the attacks on Social Security and Medicare; the health care crisis; bad trade agreements; and a government policy that favors the rich over the poor -- the desire grows strong to bring to the workplace the principles of democracy, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."]

["Looking ahead, Bernstein and Mishel note that although the pace of recovery will pick up, it is unlikely that unemployment will drop very much before the end of next year. The more pessimistic Blue Chip forecast is for unemployment of 6.2% at the end of 2004. Even the administration’s own forecast, the most optimistic of all, is for 5.8% unemployment at the end of this year and 5.5% at the end of 2004."]

[Includes: "Thoughts on How to Improve English Language Ability and Related Outcomes;" "Workforce Investment Act;" "Current Systems Which Could Provide Services are Not Focused on this Population and are Poorly Regulated;" and others.]

["During the 1990s, employment rates for less-educated young women rose significantly. Less-educated young men, however, did not experience a similar jump in employment rates. In fact, their employment rates remained stagnant during the decade, failing to return to higher rates of prior years.... We focus on the employment situation of young men (ages 18 to 24) who either lack a high school diploma or who have no education beyond a high school diploma and who are not institutionalized (thus excluding individuals currently in prison), not in school, and not in the military."]

[Includes: "Unionization Trends in California;" "New Perspectives on Employment and Inequality;" and "State and Local Labor Policy Initiatives;" "Innovations in State and Local Labor Legislation;" "Neutrality Laws and Labor Peace Agreements in California;" "Living Wage Ordinances in California;" "Recent Developments in California Labor Relations;" and others.]

["The annual AFT study ... reports salaries state-by-state for public employees in 44 job categories ... the data show that state employees who have collective-bargaining rights earn salaries as much as 63 percent higher than workers in other states.... The survey also serves as a window into general trends in the public employee workforce.] Governing (September 1, 2003) [online].]

["During the economic boom of the late 1990s and continuing through 2002, women in California made important economic gains. Wages increased for female workers across the earnings spectrum, women’s employment in higher earning occupations increased, and the share of women with college degrees continued to grow. Still, women earned 83 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2002, and many female workers and their families lack health and pension coverage. This report describes trends in wages and employment of women, particularly those at the middle and low end of the wage distribution."]

["For this review, we focused on ... alternative formula factors that are better aligned with current programs; ... changes to the current formulas that might affect the distribution of WIA funds among the states; ... [and] the implications of proposed program and formula changes in the House's WIA reauthorization bill."]

["By 2004, nearly one-third of the federal workforce will be eligible to retire and another 21 percent will be eligible for early retirement. That means more than 900,000 employees, or over 50 percent of the workforce, will be eligible to leave federal service.... Sourcing more jobs and positions will help agencies tackle their human capital crunch,providing them with maximum flexibility in getting the job done effectively and efficiently. In turn, agencies will become more focused on the core missions of the agency while utilizing the highest performing mix of in-house assets and contractors."]

["In the late 1990's, when the economy was booming, more than a million parents moved from welfare to work, with the help of work supports like child care assistance. But when welfare's strict emphasis on work collided with widespread job losses and severe cutbacks in state services, help for thousands of the nation's most vulnerable families vanished, leaving them jobless and struggling to meet their children's basic needs. According to CDF, 2001 data show a steep increase in the worst of child poverty rates coinciding with the largest one-year jump in female-headed families with children who were without work or welfare -- and the early figures for 2002 don't look better." Connect for Kids (September 2, 2003) 1.]

["Drawing from administrative records and survey data collected for the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS) during the 1990s, this report extends MDRC’s research on whether mandatory employment-focused and education-focused welfare-to-work programs help people find jobs, attain stable employment, and earn more over time."]